Methodology to Achieve Safety and Energy Savings in Laboratory Buildings

Abstract

Most of laboratories are highly energy consuming buildings, which have many mechanical exhaust equipments to ensure safety of human body from toxic substances. Air change rate of fresh air intake caused by exhaust for lab facility comes up to 20~ 60 air-change/h, compared to office building of only 1~ 2 air-change/ h. Conventionally, because safety takes precedence, it was allowed that great volume of ventilation consumes much energy, however, recent demand for sustainability strongly requires coping with both proper safety and energy saving. A primary cause, which makes lab exhaust greater, is installation of many spot exhaust devices such as fume hood to prevent human body from suffering chemical exposure. However, codes and regulations require that constant and adequate face velocity to be maintained at sash opening of fume hood, it would be a problem if exhaust amount were simply reduced. In recent years, VAV system is introduced for fume hoods which operates together with sash, still, to take demand factor into system design for energy saving becomes more important. On this paper, we introduce a case where 55% reduction of energy consumption was achieved by introducing VAV and design optimization, compared with conventional system. Furthermore, we propose a methodology targeted to detect fault and optimization by on-going commissioning. And we also propose the visualizations about fault detection system for end users. The visualizations are friendly tool that end users are able to recognize possibility of fault. This methodology would contribute to energy saving, reduction of CO2, and improvement of sustainability.